Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund

The aim of this competition is to fund detailed feasibility studies for innovative technology demonstrations of scalable smart shipping technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

Proposals must conduct a technical and economic feasibility study associated with the development and demonstration of on-vessel technologies, infrastructure technologies or both.

Projects can focus on one or more of the following:

• Vessel optimisation and smart efficiency technologies.
• Vessel efficiency focused on data, software or autonomy.
• Autonomous vessels including subsystems such as control systems and sensors.
• Sensor and robotic systems both within the port environment and on vessel.
• Smart maintenance operations technologies.
• Port and shipyard operations optimisation and digitisation.
• Digital tools such as for smart route planning and emissions monitoring.
• Big data and AI, how new business models can create value in the maritime sector and for optimisation and planning of maritime traffic.
• Smart shipping safety and skills.

Applicants must plan for the real-world demonstration or deployment developed in their project to be operational by the end of 2027.

Successful projects will be expected to support key transport decarbonisation events in the UK and in UK government led international initiatives, including initiatives around these events and communications activity.